CDC/ACIP [to 10 June 2017]

Friday, June 09, 2017Transcript : CDC Telebriefing – Update on Zika pregnancy outcomes in U.S. Territories
Transcript for CDC Telebriefing: Update on Zika pregnancy outcomes in U.S. Territories
…ANNE SCHUCHAT: Thanks, everybody, for joining us this afternoon. Today’s report marks the first analysis of data reported to the Zika pregnancy and infant registries from the U.S. territories including the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the republic of the Marshall Islands and American Samoa. CDC scientists analyzed 3,900 pregnancies reported between January 1, 2016, and April 25th of this year. Of these, 2,549 pregnant women in the U.S. territories with evidence of Zika virus infection completed their pregnancies within this time frame. And 122, or 5%, had Zika associated birth defects. This percentage is consistent with what was reported earlier for Zika associated birth defects for pregnancies in women from the 50 states and District of Columbia during 2016…

Press Release
Tuesday, June 06, 2017Community Mitigation Guidelines to Prevent Pandemic Influenza – United States, 2017 – Digital Press Kit
…The updated guidelines:
:: Encourage state and local public health officials to plan and prepare for implementing NPIs early in a pandemic in community settings.
:: Summarize key lessons learned from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic response, describe new or updated pandemic planning and assessment tools, and provide the latest scientific findings on the use of NPIs.
:: Include supplemental guides for six different community audiences that provide straightforward guidance about the use of NPIs and pandemic flu resources.

MMWR News Synopsis for June 8, 2017Measures Taken to Prevent Zika Virus Infection During Pregnancy — Puerto Rico, 2016
CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286
While health care providers are following recommendations to counsel pregnant women about Zika virus infection in Puerto Rico, there is still a need for efforts that reinforce the importance of using prevention strategies during pregnancy. Since less than 50 percent of women reported daily use of insect repellent and protective clothing during pregnancy and less than 40 percent reported consistent use of measures to prevent sexual transmission, an understanding of how to bridge the gap between awareness and use of Zika prevention measures during pregnancy is needed. Scientists at CDC and the Puerto Rico Department of Health describe behaviors and experiences related to Zika virus prevention among women in Puerto Rico who were pregnant during the Zika virus outbreak in 2016. Ninety-eight percent of women reported using at least one measure to avoid mosquitoes in their homes during pregnancy. However, personal protective measures were used less frequently: 46 percent reported using insect repellent daily, and 12 percent reported wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants daily. Slightly more than 33 percent of respondents reported either abstaining from sex or consistently using condoms to prevent sexual transmission of Zika during pregnancy. More than 90 percent of the women reported that their health care provider counseled them about Zika virus infection during pregnancy, and 77 percent of women reported being tested for Zika virus infection by their health care provider during the first or second trimester of pregnancy.

Japanese Encephalitis Surveillance and Immunization — Asia and Western Pacific Regions, 2016CDC Media Relations
404-639-3286
There has been substantial progress in prevention and control of Japanese encephalitis (JE), the most important vaccine-preventable cause of encephalitis in Asia. Continued progress will require strengthening JE surveillance, sustaining national commitment to JE prevention and control, and ensuring adequate resources for JE vaccination. JE virus is the most important vaccine-preventable cause of encephalitis in Asia. The World Health Organization recommends integration of JE vaccination into national immunization schedules in all areas where the disease is a public health priority. A review of surveillance and immunization program data in the 24 countries with JE virus transmission risk showed that in 2016, 22 countries conducted at least some surveillance for JE, and 12 had implemented a JE immunization program. This represents substantial progress in JE prevention and control efforts, but challenges remain.